On May 30, 2003, President Hu Jintao, who was
attending the events celebrating the 300th anniversary of
St. Petersburg, met respectively with Polish President
Aleksander Kwasniewski, Greek Prime Minister Costas Simitis
and Canadian Prime Minister Jean Chretien.
During the meeting, Hu told Kwasniewski that
there were no outstanding problems or conflicts in interests
between China and Poland. Maintaining and developing
Sino-Polish relations was the common desire of both peoples
and was in the interests of both countries. The new Chinese
central leadership would be devoted as ever to strengthening
bilateral ties of friendly cooperation and enhancing
reciprocal cooperation in various fields. Hu also briefed
Kwasniewski on domestic and foreign policies and the current
social development of China.
Kwasniewski said
that the peoples in Poland and China enjoyed traditional
friendship and both countries were at a critical stage of
development. He said Poland hoped to strengthen cooperation
with China in politics, economy and trade, as well as in
cultural fields, and the country attached great importance
to China?s influence in international affairs and was ready
to further strengthen bilateral consultation and
coordination.
While meeting with Greek Prime
Minister Costas Simitis, whose country currently holds the
European Union (EU) presidency, President Hu reaffirmed
China's positive attitude to further promote relations with
the EU. He said that despite the vicissitudes of the
international situation, the essence of China-Europe
relations had not changed and the common interests of both
sides were increasing. He added that further deepening the
cooperation between China and the EU was in the fundamental
interests of both sides, and would contribute to the peace,
stability and development in Europe and Asia as well as the
whole world. Hu also pointed out that exchanges and
cooperation between China and Greece in various fields were
expanding as bilateral relations entering a new developing
phase, adding that the two countries could cooperate in the
preparation of the Olympic Games since Athens and Beijing
would host the Games in turn.
Simitis noted
that he believed the EU, which upheld a multi-polar world,
hoped to develop closer and more extensive relations with
China with a more long-term strategic view. He said that
economic and trade cooperation between China and the EU had
gone on smoothly with great potentials, and the EU was
willing to join efforts with China to further expand their
cooperation of mutual benefit. He believed that Athens and
Beijing would explore new ways and programs of cooperation
in the preparation and host of the Olympic Games. Both sides
exchanged opinions on the postwar reconstruction,
Palestinian-Israel conflicts and other major international
issues.
During his meeting with Canadian Prime
Minister Jean Chretien, Hu said both China and Canada were
important countries in the Asian-Pacific region. He said
that the new Chinese leadership would continue its efforts
to develop the friendly relations with Canada, make joint
efforts with the Canadian side to push forward the overall
Sino-Canadian partnership of cooperation.
The
two leaders also exchanged views on the fight against severe
acute respiratory syndrome (SARS). President Hu stressed
that it had been proven SARS was preventable, controllable
and curable. He said that China was confident about and
capable of a thorough success over SARS. Chretien, who spoke
highly of China's progress in controlling the spread of
SARS, agreed to strengthen medical and scientific exchanges
and cooperation between the two sides so as to win the
battle against SARS.
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